Anaqua Merges with SGA²

Anaqua, a provider of IP asset management software, has merged with SGA², a provider of IP maintenance services. No financial terms were disclosed. Anaqua is a portfolio company of Beacon Equity Partners.

PRESS RELEASE

Anaqua, a leading provider of intellectual asset management (IAM) software and services, announced today that it has merged with SGA², an innovative provider of IP maintenance services. The merger will permit delivery of IP maintenance services, such as patent and trademark renewals, with the same high levels of service and advanced technology that Anaqua’s IAM software provides IP leaders worldwide. The combined companies currently serve more than 350 clients with a total of approximately 600,000 patents and trademarks in Europe, North America and Asia.

“Anaqua has always been focused on providing strategic IAM solutions to its clients,” said Priya Iyer, Anaqua’s CEO. “The next generation vision is to offer an integrated platform for delivery of software, services and content. Our merger with SGA² enables us to deliver improved service levels, reduced risk and better value. Adding Patent Annuity and Trademark Renewal services will further enhance our comprehensive IP lifecycle management solution and provide real time access to lifetime maintenance costs of any portfolio.”

SGA² was founded 15 years ago in France on the premise that patent and trademark maintenance companies were not providing adequate service at reasonable prices. SGA² set out to solve this problem by applying client-focused principles to the development of a world-class patent and trademark maintenance delivery process and became the first maintenance service provider with ISO 9001 certification as early as 1997. They were the first in their field to use web services to integrate IP operations with their clients. SGA² developed a strong client-oriented culture with prompt follow-up and resolution of critical service issues and detailed, transparent billing.

“We are excited to join forces with Anaqua,” said Gerard Borin, President of SGA². “Together we will accelerate growth and the ability to serve the global market for patent and trademark renewals. SGA² looks forward to introducing the industry-leading ANAQUA IP management solution to our clients.”

Clients of both companies will benefit from the new combination. STMicroelectronics, a top five global semiconductor company and a long-time SGA² client, recently signed up to use the ANAQUA Enterprise IAM solution to manage their growing patent and trademark portfolio. ST is one of the industry’s most innovative companies; it owns close to 19,000 patents and pending patent applications and in 2009 filed 737 new patent applications around the world.

Beacon Equity Partners, a private equity firm and principal investor in Anaqua, managed the merger to bring the two companies together under the common ownership of a holding company. A number of Beacon’s investments are focused on technology and services companies serving the IP and legal markets. “Anaqua has established a leadership position in the IP software market,” said Ed Mullen, Chairman of both Beacon Equity and Anaqua. “The synergy between Anaqua and SGA² opens up significant growth opportunities by expanding our services to existing and new clients.”

This new Anaqua annuity service offering is available immediately both as an integrated software plus services solution and as a stand-alone product.

About Anaqua

Anaqua’s software helps leading companies grow and protect company value with an advanced, flexible IAM solution used by more than 20,000 users in over 100 countries to manage more than $500 billion in intellectual assets. The ANAQUA Enterprise IAM solution supports the full IA lifecycle from idea to monetization for all IA categories, including inventions, patents, trade secrets, brands and trademarks. Clients include Microsoft, Ford, Kimberly-Clark, Diageo, and The Coca-Cola Company. ANAQUA Express is a streamlined, more affordable solution for smaller IP teams Anaqua is headquartered in Boston, MA, and has a European head office in London. For additional information please visit http://www.anaqua.com